


Prompt #049 Small

by kurgaya



Series: Divine Footsteps [20]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, Translation Available, Перевод на русский | Translation in Russian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-10
Updated: 2013-04-10
Packaged: 2017-12-08 02:20:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/755866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurgaya/pseuds/kurgaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I suppose I should thank you for not squashing me with your text book."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prompt #049 Small

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Зарисовка #049 Маленький](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6361684) by [a_m](https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_m/pseuds/a_m)



> Just watched Studio Ghibli's 'Arrietty'. Couldn't resist this :) (Woops still writing Bleach)

**A Considerable Heart**

"So wait, yesterday when one of the onigiri went missing and my sister accused me of eating her share - that was you?"

"Yes," replied the little man, lifting his chin up defiantly. "We're Borrowers."

"Borrowers?" Ichigo echoed, shifting so that he was closer to the desk. He smiled, but the other man still tensed and took a step back, eyeing him warily. Not deterred, however mindful of the pin the Borrower appeared to be substituting for a sword, the teenager asked, "Does that mean I can have it back then?"

"Unless you want me to regurgitate it, no," came the reply, sighed with an expression of exasperation. Ichigo chuckled and jabbed a finger teasingly at the white haired Borrower, snorting an amused, "Well that's not borrowing, is it?" and then mentally kicking himself when the two-inch man jumped back and reached for the pin at his side.

"Back off!" The pin was removed from his belt, a tiny strip of leather with a few holes poked through it for various pieces of equipment to latch onto, and waved threateningly at Ichigo's fingertip. Knowing it could easily draw blood, Ichigo held his hand up in surrender, making hushing noises to try and ease the situation.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, earning himself a glare. "I really am, honestly, I'm not going to hurt you. It's just - well, you're _stealing_ , not borrowing."

Tiny, pale hands clutched onto the pin tighter, lithe frame rigid beneath the layers of cotton and silk clearly taken from Yuzu's sewing kit. The smallest of his sister's beads had been used as buttons for the navy jacket the Borrower wore, and Ichigo marveled at the skill evident for such a precise and minuscule piece of clothing. The jacket was high-collared and ended below the man's knees, a set of red goggles hiding his neck between the opening of the collar, and a pair of matching boots clad on his centimetre feet. He looked like he belonged in a military faculty, not a teenager's bedroom, and Ichigo couldn't help but smile at the absurdity of the whole thing.

"I know," muttered the Borrower, keeping a close eye on Ichigo's hand. "My ancestors used to borrow, though I suppose 'exchange' is a better word. We'd take things for resources, and give back knowledge to people that would listen. That was back before you humans built these horrible buildings and drove us from our homes." His voice rose in a sneer at the end, and he glanced around at the objects on the desk. His eyes were sorrowful but angry, as if he'd been personally scarred by such tragedy. Given the colour of his hair and the wise tint to his voice, Ichigo wondered if maybe the Borrower was older than the sparing years that his face portrayed.

"I'm sorry," he said, trying to empathise. "I don't know what that's like."

The Borrower shook his head and slowly returned the pin to his belt.

"No, that's a good thing," he assured, looking around once again. "I must go, before my family start to worry." Teal eyes gazed momentarily at Ichigo's brown before sliding away to examine the desk chair - Ichigo could imagine the Borrower's escape route forming in his brain.

"It was nice to meet you," he said, smiling once again at the miniature man. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki by the way."

The Borrower was half way across the desk by that point, but he turned at Ichigo's call. "Toshiro Hitsugaya," he replied, introducing himself with a curt nod. "I suppose I should thank you for not squashing me with your text book."

It'd been a close thing. Ichigo chuckled nervously and his rich laughter carried through the room and along the tunnel in the wall, down under the floorboards and between mouse-sized gaps to the candle-lit doorway which the Borrower hesitated in opening, a scratched brass key half slotted into the lock. He shook his snowy head and brushed his fringe from his eyes, turned the key so that the door clicked in greeting, and wondered how much trouble his foolishness was going to get him into.

Their stolen smiles implied it was worth it though.


End file.
